shooter

Thief 3 successfully moves forward technologically while keeping true to the story and mood of the series. This is a next generation engine with dynamic lighting that requires a beefy video card. I recommend a GeForce FX or a Radeon 9800. I have Windows 2000 with a GeForce TI 4200 and it's playable at 800x600 with low details.

The game has the same voice actors from the first two, which was a big plus for me. It has an OPTION to go 3rd person, but the default for the PC is 1st person which IMHO is much better for this game. Huge advances have been made in the game engine, including graphics, ragdoll physics, and a few AI improvements.

The mood is dark and scary and the story is well done, with tons of exploring and gameplay time. There's no underwater exploring in this one, but frankly the game was so good I didn't even miss it. Lockpicking is also more challenging but with a little practice you'll get fast. If you are a fan of the first couple games, Thief 3 will seem stange for about the first 5 minutes and then you'll love it again.

If you're new to Thief, this game isn't like regular 3D shooters. In this game YOU get to be that dangerous-looking guy in the shadows. The guards and other characters can see AND hear you, and the objective is to move without getting caught by those who would harm you. Sounds simple, but it takes practice and it's quite a rush! (Don't worry, you still have weapons, but the combat is a lot more realistic - you will get killed if you barge into a fully lighted room with 4 armed guards.)

There's not only huge missions, there's a central city area with shops and secrets. You even have your own apartment! All in all this game is like living another life inside your computer and it's amazing!

Thief 1 was great, Thief 2 wasn't as good, but Thief 3 is the best of the series. When i got the thief games, I was looking forward to stealth play in medieval times. The zombies were a turn off, but later added alot to the story, as did the trickster. Thief 2 i hated because of the ridiculous technology, however, in Thief 3, they perfectly balanced everything out. The story picks up from the ending of Thief 2 where we're left hanging. A few improvements are the graphics, the AI, and the logical realism that the first 2 games didn't have. The characters (such as the hammerites) don't look goofy anymore, and the zombies are pretty creepy.

The game kept its signature sounds; you'll hear familiar music and sound effects, and especially quotes and voice actors, which really brings back memories. The game's atmosphere is preserved just the way the fans remember and love it, whether you're dealing with the Pagans or in a Hammerite territory.

Another interesting improvement is the way you get missions. Alot of times you start at your place (or as a guest at other places depending on where you are in the game) and you make your way through the vast city to the locations you need to get to. As long as you dont have a weapon out, citizens will ignore you, but there are always select guards (CityWatch) you have to hide from. I could go on, but if you were a fan of the first two games, get this addicting and well-written game to complete the story.

recently finished this (with a months vacation during the game). normally, i wait to to see reviews before i buy a new game (deus ex 2), but i liked thief 1 & 2 so much that i rushed right out and bought this right after it came out ON TIME! and then worked at it steadily on expert until finished. my 2 year old hp had no trouble dealing with this game. there are aspects of thief 3 that are both better and worse than the prior two.

the visuals are outstanding, with details, shading, shadows, etc much better than before. i suspect that this is one reason why these small levels took so long to load, but its worth the wait. the realism is remarkable. the story presented finally pulls together what had been happening in the first two, which was never clear to me, (the Balance, that is). some of the levels were remarkably atmospheric and "immersive", such as the seaside mansion, the museum, and the cradle. Most of the time between missions, one runs around town doing errands, avoiding the watch, breaking into houses and shops, and robbing people. health is still rare, so you cant take a lot of hits like in half-life and then heal up. if you get caught, youre dead, or nearly so; many reloads are required. this game is a strong sequel in the thief series

a few new angles. no rope arrows. these are fun, but not really missed. the climbing gloves supplied are used rarely, once to enter a level, and a few times to get weapons or special loot (the equivalent of secrets). no swimming, but this is ok, because the only good swimming in a video game, imho, was in tombraider. buying loot from stores with stolen money is new, but i had about 50,000 dollars left over and a full arsenal. there was little to spend money on, as most items could be found. I was cheated by a merchant near the end who sold ersatz loot and a map, but the game would not let me go back and kill her. the only thing really necessary to buy is climbing gloves. faction status is new. you can improve vour status with hammers and pagans by doing them favors, which results in their leaving you alone when you enter their areas of influence (very helpful). what this implies is you cannot molest any ot their members, or you lose standing. this, in turn, means you must do missions involving these groups with no knockouts (of note, "killing time").

on the downside, there is only one truly spooky mission. there were several in thief 1, which makes that, for me, the scariest game ever. the hammer haunts in thief 3 are not as malignant as previously, and there are no spiders. the ai doesnt seem as smart as previously. the bad guys are much easier to sneak up on and knock out than before. i think they could get rid of those dead bodies that flopped for 5 minutes after you dropped them and use the computing power freed up for the ai. anyway, the slablike rigor mortis bodies of prior thiefs and deus ex may not look as good but they work well and there is no obnoxious uh-uh when you have to hide them in a hurry. all zombies in the cradle except one could be easily and repeatedly avoided, which detracted from the fear factor of that mission (which is reminiscent of "return to the cathedral"). actually, i think the gameplay of thief three was easier, too. Thief 2 had many very difficult secrets, but some of the objectives in thief 1 were much harder. did you find the serpentyle torc? the watchmans grave? or get to the heart and soul in "bonehoard"? also, i miss monster levels like "life of the party" (my favorite), "soulforge", "shipping and receiving", and "lost city".

all in all, thief #3 is strong work, with great story, attractive visuals, superb atmosphere, and engaging gameplay. my "complaints" amount to things id like to see when i buy thief 4. (make it for mac!)